Wind power plant having power module mounted on tower foundation and method for use in constructing same

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for constructing a wind energy plant and to a wind energy plant as such. An aim of one aspect of the invention is to provide a method for constructing wind energy plants at lower expenses and more rapidly. According to one aspect, a method for constructing a wind energy plant that comprises a tower that is based on a foundation and an electrical power module, the power module is mounted on the tower foundation before the tower itself is constructed. The power module comprises a transformer and optionally an inverter or other electrical installations, such as for example switch cabinets, that are provided for controlling the wind energy plant and/or for guiding the electrical power that is provided by the generator of the wind energy plant and that is fed to a network.

RELATED INFORMATION

The invention concerns a method for constructing a wind power plant aswell as the wind power plant itself in its configuration.

Thus far, when constructing wind power plants there is first produced afoundation, then the tower of the wind power plant is erected andsubsequently the machine house is outfitted at the tip of the tower andthe rotor is affixed with the rotor blades. After this, the electricpower modules such as transformer, switch cabinets, possibly inverters,a medium-voltage system, a low-voltage distribution, etc., areinstalled. This is almost always done in a special small buildingoutside the wind power plant.

In DE 198 16 483.1 it has already been proposed to accommodate thetransformer inside the tower, so that it is no longer necessary toconstruct a special transformer building with its own foundation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of one aspect of the invention, now, is to develop a methodby which the construction of wind power plants can be done even moreadvantageously, but especially even faster. According to one aspect ofthe invention, it is proposed, in departure from the design of windpower plants heretofore, after constructing the foundation of the windpower plant, to place the essential power modules, i.e., transformer,switch cabinets, etc., on the foundation and only then erect the tower,so that all of the power modules after the erection of the tower areprotected in the region of the tower foundation or in the lower part ofthe tower and rest safely on the tower foundation.

The power modules are prefabricated as much as possible and mounted oncarriers, so that the power modules can be set up on the towerfoundation by a crane, which is needed anyway to construct a wind powerplant, and the entire operational readying, especially the laying ofcables and the entire operational preparation of the wind power plant,can occur in a protected space by adjustment of individual controlmodules, outfitting of the switch cabinets, etc., and these activitiescan commence once the tower has been constructed.

It is also especially advantageous for the carriers of the power modulesto have support feet, which in turn rest on prepositioned plates on thetower foundation. These plates are already fitted in front of determinedpositions during the creation of the foundation and they are fixed tothe foundation so that the power modules can also be set up afterwardsin very simple way and manner.

Finally, it is also very advantageous to provide empty conduit crossarms in the foundation of the wind power plant for the cables leadingout from the plant, i.e., especially the power transmission cables,control cables, etc., and to install these empty conduit cross arms inpredetermined positions. For this, the cross arms are held by holdingarms, which in turn are fixed in portions of the foundation or in thelower section of a tower. With these empty conduit cross arms, theregion of the cable laying can be exactly predetermined and also inparticular laid such that the cables extending from the power module tothe foundation have the shortest and an optimal cable route.

The measures according to one aspect of the invention thus alsofacilitate the overall electrical equipment of the wind power plant by aprefabrication of individual modules such as the empty conduit crossarms, power module carriers, etc., as early as the construction of thefoundation.

With the steps according to one aspect of the invention, the entireconstruction time for the wind power plant can be considerablyshortened. Also, with one aspect of the invention, the costs for theoverall equipment of the wind power plant can be reduced, without havingto balance this with technical disadvantages of any kind.

Aspects of the invention shall be explained more closely hereafter bymeans of an example shown in a drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a section of a foundation for a windpower plant, prior to filling the section of the foundation withconcrete;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a power module positionedon the foundation of FIG. 1, after filling the foundation with concrete;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the power module of FIG. 2 along with arepresentation of the foundation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the power module of FIG. 2 along with arepresentation of the foundation of FIG. 1 and an erected tower prior tosliding the tower over the power module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a prearranged foundation (without concretefill) with a steel reinforcement 1 and 2, on an empty conduit 3, whichis supported via a brace 4 with a lowermost tower section adjoining thereinforcement. Furthermore, one notices carrier plates 5, which arearranged for holding arms 6 in the lowermost tower section (which willno longer be visible after constructing the wind power plant).

The empty conduit 3 afterwards serves to accommodate cables, such as thepower cable, by means of which the entire electric energy of the windpower plant is taken away to the network via ground cables. Often,several pipes are provided for this, rather than only one pipe.

FIG. 2 shows the foundation section after filling the concrete. Here,one notices that the empty conduits remain in their previously fixedposition and the carrier plates have also been invested with concrete;during the concreting, it is important that the carrier plates lie snugon the structural concrete and thus afford a load support spread outover a surface. The concrete reaches to the upper edge of the carrierplates and is carefully worked at the edge of the plate.

After the hardening of the concrete, the holding arms for holding thecarrier plates and also the cross arms for attachment of the emptyconduits can be dismantled and used again to construct other plants.

After the hardening of the concrete, when constructing the rest of thewind power plant, the tower is not placed on the lowermost foundationfor the tower section—as was usual heretofore—but instead a power module7 is first placed on the carrier plates 5 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4).

Such a power module 7 is shown in FIG. 3 in a two-part design, althoughthe power module can also consist of additional parts.

The two parts of the power module 7 are placed one on the other in thedepicted example and the overall power module consists of twofitted-together carriers 8, which in turn support important parts of thepower modules, i.e., the transformer, inverter, switch cabinets,medium-voltage layout, etc.

The fitted-together carriers 8 are constructed in the manner of a frameand fit together exactly, so that a reliable securing to each other isalso assured. The individual carriers have four vertically orientedspars—subtending a rectangle—joined together at the bottom. These sparsare screwed together at their lower and upper end.

After mounting the electric power module on the foundation, the tower 9is erected (FIG. 4) and slipped over the power module. For this, theouter dimensions of the power module in terms of width and length aresmaller than the inner diameter of the tower in the lower towerregion/foundation region.

After erecting the tower, the wind power plant is outfitted with themachine house, as usual, the rotor is mounted, and appropriateelectrical connections are produced between the generator and the powermodule 7 to enable operation and the power module (output of thetransformer) is also hooked up to the power supply network.

When the above described empty conduits or devices provided for layingthe cables have been previously secured in particular prescribedposition, the connection between the power module and the network canalso be produced extremely fast and advantageously, with minimal overallcable lengths, because the empty conduits are positioned where they mateprecisely with the corresponding parts of the power module.

In the wind power plant of one aspect of the invention, it is alsoadvantageous for the access to the wind power plant to no longernecessarily be through a conventional door in the fixed region of thefoundation, but instead through a door (access) which is positioned sothat it emerges in the region above the parts of the power modulecarrying the high or medium voltage. For this, a corresponding ladder orstairs can be provided on the outside of the tower. This positioning ofthe access door has the advantage that the personnel who have to visitthe plant frequently do not have to constantly walk past the parts ofthe power module carrying high or medium voltage when the plant is inoperation. This also ensures that no one is in direct proximity to thepower module by accident or mistake during the operation of the windpower plant and makes contact with the parts carrying voltage orcurrent, which might cause a major accident.

In the region of the access door of the tower, an appropriateintermediate platform is then provided, which can be used by personnelentering the tower, so that they can move up higher in the wind powerplant on the inside of the tower or make adjustments to various controldevices or read off measurement data.

A wind power plant of the invented type generally has available morethan 100 kW of rated power, preferably a power rating in the range of500 kW, 1 MW, 1.5 MW, or considerably more. Preferably, the intermediateplatform is provided with a locking plate, through which the personnelcan enter the lower region of the power module. Locking of the hatchaffords further protection of the lower part of the power module againstunauthorized access.

The inner diameter of the tower in the foundation region can be severalmeters, so that the overall surface there is 100 m² or more andtherefore a sufficiently large area is also available to accommodate thepower modules. Insofar as the term “power module” is used in thisapplication, it means the medium and high voltage carrying part of thewind power plant. These are, in particular, the units such astransformer or inverter or emergency switch and the medium voltageswitch cabinet or also the low voltage distributor.

1. A method of constructing a wind power plant having (i) a foundation,(ii) a tower, (iii) a generator disposed on the tower and driven by arotor, and (iv) an electrical power module, wherein the electrical powermodule includes at least a transformer, the method comprising: arranginga form of the foundation: arranging at least a portion of a conduit at apredetermined location within the form of the foundation so that theportion of the conduit is fixed in the foundation after providing thefoundation: providing the foundation: placing the electrical powermodule on the foundation; connecting an electrical cable to theelectrical power module wherein at least a portion of the electricalcable is disposed in the portion of the conduit which is fixed in thefoundation; constructing or placing the tower on the foundation afterplacing the electrical power module on the foundation; mounting thegenerator on the tower; and mounting rotor blades on the rotor, whereinthe rotor blades are exposed to wind.
 2. The method of claim 1 whereinthe electrical power module further includes an inverter and/or anotherelectrical device to control the wind power plant and/or conduct theelectric power furnished by the generator of the wind power plant. 3.The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical power module includes adevice to receive electrical power furnished by the generator.
 4. Themethod of claim 3 wherein the electrical power module includes a deviceto transfer the electrical power to the power cable connected to a powernetwork located outside the wind power plant.
 5. The method of claim 1wherein the electrical power module includes a device to control thewind power plant.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising supplyingthe electrical power module with electrical power furnished by thegenerator.
 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising transferring theelectrical power to a power network located outside the wind power plantvia the electrical cable.
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprisingsupplying control signals from the electrical power module to controlthe wind power plant.
 9. The method of claim 1 further including:arranging a plurality of carrier plates at predetermined locationswithin the form of the foundation so that carrier plates are fixed in.on or to the foundation after providing the foundation; and wherein theelectrical power module further includes a carrier and wherein placingthe electrical power module on the foundation comprises mounting thecarrier on the carrier plates.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein thecarrier plates are set in the foundation at predetermined locations. 11.The method of claim 1 wherein providing the foundation includes fillingthe form of the foundation with concrete.
 12. A wind power plantcomprising: a tower set on a foundation; a generator; a power moduleincluding: a transformer to transform electric energy furnished by thegenerator into; and a carrier that (i) receives the transformer and (ii)is set on the foundation; a plurality of conduits, at least partiallydisposed and fixed in the foundation, to route cables connected to theelectrical power module through the foundation; and a plurality ofcarrier plates, fixed in or to the foundation, to receive the powermodule.
 13. The wind power plant of claim 12 wherein the power modulefurther includes a device to control and/or conduct electric energyprovided by the generator.
 14. The wind power plant of claim 12 whereinthe tower has a diameter in a foundation area and the power module has awidth and/or a length that are less than the diameter of the tower inthe foundation area.
 15. The wind power plant of claim 12 wherein thetower includes a door to permit access the power module.
 16. The windpower plant of claim 12 wherein the generator is disposed on the tower.17. The wind power plant of claim 16 wherein the power module furtherincludes a device to control electric energy provided by the generator.18. The wind power plant of claim 12 wherein the plurality of carrierplates is disposed at the predetermined locations prior to finishing thefoundation.
 19. The wind power plant of claim 12 wherein the carriercomprises two carriers that are placed one on the other and configuredso that they fit together and are secured to each other.
 20. The windpower plant of claim 12 wherein the power module further includes aninverter and at least one switch cabinet for containing electricalcontrol devices of the wind power plants.
 21. The wind power plant ofclaim 12 further comprising conduits arranged in the foundation of thewind power plant to accommodate cables.
 22. The wind power plant ofclaim 21 wherein the conduits are secured with cross arms prior tofinishing the foundation.
 23. The wind power plant of claim 21 whereinthe cables connect to the power module.
 24. The wind power plant ofclaim 12 wherein the carrier plates are set in the foundation atpredetermined locations.
 25. A method of constructing a wind power planthaving (i) a foundation, (ii) a tower, (iii) a generator disposed on thetower and driven by a rotor of the wind power installation, and (iv) anelectrical power module wherein the electrical power module includes atleast a transformer, the method comprising: arranging a form of thefoundation; arranging a plurality of carrier plates at predeterminedlocations within the form of the foundation and before Providing thefoundation so that carrier plates are fixed in, on or to the foundationafter providing the foundation: providing the foundation; positioningthe electrical power module on the carrier plates such that its weightis supported by the foundation; erecting or placing the tower over theelectrical power module after positioning the electrical power module onthe plurality of carrier plates such that the tower's weight issupported by the foundation; mounting the generator on the tower; andmounting rotor blades on the rotor, wherein the rotor blades are exposedto wind.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the electrical power modulefurther Includes a carrier and the wind power plant further includescarrier plates that are set in the foundation, and wherein positioningthe electrical power module such that its weight is supported by thefoundation comprises placing the carrier on carrier plates.
 27. Themethod of claim 26 further comprising securing the carrier plates withsupport members prior to finishing providing the foundation.
 28. Themethod of claim 26 wherein the carrier plates are set in the foundationat predetermined locations.
 29. The method of claim 25 furthercomprising arranging conduits in the foundation to route cablesconnected to the electrical power module.
 30. The method of claim 29further comprising transferring the electrical power to a power networklocated outside the wind power plant.
 31. The method of claim 29 whereinarranging conduits in the foundation to route cables connected to theelectrical power module further comprises arranging the conduits in thefoundation prior to finishing the foundation.
 32. The method of claim 25further comprising supplying the electrical power module with electricalpower furnished by the generator.
 33. The method of claim 25 whereinproviding the foundation includes filling the form of the foundationwith concrete.